Deputies find two people dead inside Salem home

SALEM, Ore. – Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies found two people dead inside their home Tuesday while performing a welfare check.

The sheriff’s office was checking on 59-year-old Rick Jackels and 57-year-old Suzanne Jackels after neither of them had reported to work in the past two days, which was unusual for both of them.

When deputies arrived at the home in the 3100 block of Lakeview Drive Northwest around 10 a.m., they found both people deceased inside.

Through pictures, the couple seemed to do everything together. From vacations to Taco Nights in Vancouver, they seemed insuperable, even until death.

"Very full of life, outgoing, thrill-seekers," said Nettie Morris, a close friend. "No signs of trouble. They deeply loved each other and we all knew that."

Polk County Sheriff, Mark Garton says it looked like the bodies had been in the home for a couple of days. Deputies found a pistol inside the home. Autopsy results show that both Rick and Suzanne died from a single gun-shot wound. Deputies say there are no outstanding suspects in the case and the investigation is ongoing.

"It's somebody i'm never going to see again in my life," said Ben Bienvenue, Suzanne's son.

Bienvenue lives in Indianna and his sibblings live in other parts of the country. He says the last time he talked to his mother was Saturday on the phone.

"We talked about life," he said. "I sent her a picture of my daughter. She said, 'wow, she's goring up quick, she's beautiful.'"

Nothing seemed unusual. Even through pictures she posted, Bienvenue said she seemed happy. Now, he and his sibbings have pick up the pieces thousands of miles away.

"They say death brings closeness to the family even if the family is far a part.," said Bienvenue. "We're taking everything day by day. We've been checking in with each other, we've been talking."

He and his siblings say they don't know Rick very well, adding the two had married about five years ago. To friends who were close to them, however, they seemed like the perfect couple.

"They were just truly great people," said Morris. "They are going to be very missed."